Zimbabwe government rejects Carter and Annan

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (CNN) -- A group including former UN chief Kofi Annan and former U.S. President Jimmy Carter postponed a visit to Zimbabwe meant to highlight the country's humanitarian crisis after the government refused to cooperate.

A man suffering from cholera is taken by cart to a hospital in Harare.

Annan said the delegation, which had been set to arrive in Zimbabwe this weekend, needed "no red carpet treatment," but only the government's "permission to help the poor and the desperate."

"However the refusal of the Zimbabwean government to facilitate our visit in any way has made it impossible for us to travel at this time," Annan said.

The trio -- which also included rights activist Graca Machel, wife of former South African president Nelson Mandela -- wanted to find ways to ease the plight of Zimbabweans, nearly half of whom are in need of emergency food aid. In addition, a cholera epidemic sweeping the country has claimed several lives and spread to neighboring South Africa.

But the state-owned daily newspaper, The Herald, on Thursday said the three -- who belong to a group of senior statesmen known as the Elders -- were trying to boost the opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), in power-sharing talks with President Robert Mugabe.

"The visit has been deemed a partisan mission by a group of people with partisan interests," The Herald quoted an unnamed government source.

"The Elders wrote to (Mugabe's) government on the intended visit, but they have been advised that while it appreciates the humanitarian concern by the group, it was important for them to plan their visit on a date that is convenient and agreed to by both sides."

When Annan announced the visit, he said it was purely humanitarian and would not touch on the negotiations that continue to drag on to form a unity government in Zimbabwe.

Mugabe signed a power-sharing deal with MDC's Morgan Tsvangirai in September but it is yet to take effect.

The MDC accuses Mugabe of grabbing all key ministries such as home affairs, information, local government, foreign affairs and defense. It said it wants an "equitable" distribution.

Annan, in announcing the postponement Saturday, said the group wanted to use their influence to get international aid to the millions of people in Zimbabwe in need of help.

Machel said she was "extremely disappointed."

"We want to talk to the people and hear their stories directly. We want people to know that we care, and that we will do all we can to help them. People are dying from hunger every day in Zimbabwe and hospitals are unable to treat the sick. With schools struggling to stay open, children are missing out on an education. One in four children has lost one or both parents. The government's attitude to our visit is deeply regrettable."

Carter noted that he supported Zimbabwe's liberation struggle -- led by Mugabe -- while he was the U.S. president.

"I am partisan. I make no apology for that. I supported Zimbabwe's liberation struggle and I oppose suffering and misery. But I am very sorry that we are unable to visit Zimbabwe. We will continue with our plans to learn as much as we can while we are here in the region, where millions of Zimbabweans inside and outside the country face a daily struggle for survival."

Annan and Carter said they would remain in South Africa to monitor the situation in Zimbabwe.